Our e-mail over the past 24 hours offers one irrefutable fact about the surprising selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin: A lot of Republicans think we are detached from reality for suggesting the pick was an act of desperation by John McCain.

In a column published Saturday, we wrote that McCain's pick reflected his need to dramatically shake up the race by selecting a woman he hardly knows. Readers directed most of their outrage at our assessment that this was a "desperate" move by McCain.

Rarely have we been flooded with more e-mail, the most generous of which suggested we are dimwits, and much of it calling us names not fit to print. It was an especially stark example of something that in America's polarized political culture is a common phenomenon: reporters and activists viewing the same facts through radically different prisms.

Given the strong response, we asked many of those readers if we could publish their take on the pick. We put the most substantive ones at the top. But if you want to get a flavor of a journalist’s typical inbox fare, read to the bottom:

The experience issue is still in play for McCain. It is out there and Obama has to make his bones on this apart from Palin. He does not look better now because Palin is in the picture. The Democrats really don't want this argument to continue, but because of their defensiveness may have lost perspective and foolishly start inviting comparisons of Obama to Palin. And McCain can go silent on this and shift gears to other issues. His past attacks are not invalidated and only worked anyway because they confirmed perceptions in the minds of some voters. A fear of Obama's readiness trumps a fear of Palin's readiness.

The experience argument was always a cover for a larger argument. And in ads, it had started to shift from "readiness" to "do you know enough about him." Plus Obama has given the GOP material to make specific attacks. Palin's blank slate is just that.

I do agree that the polls are misleading and the big elephant in the room was that edge in Dem enthusiasm and registration.

The Clinton women angle is being overplayed. That 18mm is comprised of a wide variety of people. Palin is a play to the base. There are fewer Republicans these days - there are not fewer conservatives.

The Dems are behind the curve on this one, trust me.

— Bruce Schindler, Pennsylvania

1-as one who has followed this election cycle closely, I've know about Palin for a long time. I had given up hope a running mate like Palin or Jindal would be chosen and am ecstatic at this move. Desperate? No. Brilliant. Yes. While the Democrats talk about change, all tangible details are the same old DNC party line. Government programs with no real change. This pick gives some hope of a truly refreshing direction.

2-are you completely blind to the other problems Palin poses? Obama talks about energy policy like he has some authority in this area. Palin has real experience and real knowledge. Her expertise will expose Obama's hollow platitudes.

3&4-On experience, I'd say two years of actually working as an executive trumps one year as a junior senator and one year running for president while abandoning senate responsibilities. And then there is Palin's record of standing against the abuses within her party. Meanwhile Obama has a record of kow-towing to the Dem power brokers and financiers, combined with a voting record that mirrors the extreme end of the old guard. I'll take an honest former executive with a conscience before a demagogue with no real experience as our nations leader.

5-I'll give you 5.

6-Are you seriously calling McCain an egotist when compared to Obama? This is just an indicator of your own political blind spot. Your final two paragraphs point out some legitimate questions about McCain's shift toward the neo-con right. But be honest and recognize Obama's own old school DNC party line. He poses no challenges to the teacher's unions menace to education, the worker's unions stifling blanket on productivity (just as much a part of the problems of jobs shipping overseas as corporate greed), an approach to government that isn't more bureaucracy and wasteful spending, a fix to a broken tax code, etc.

— Stephen Jensen, Austin, Texas

WOW!! You couldn't be more wrong about McCain' pick for VP. It was a brilliant pick, not intended to get Hillary voters, but to energize the base. There were too many conservatives, like myself, that were going to have a hard time pulling the lever for McCain. With Palin on the ticket I will not only feel good about voting , I'll be willing to volunteer time and give money to his campaign. I find it amusing that the liberal elit in this country just don't get it. SO go ahead and follow Obama like the rest of the mindless sheep that hold him up as a sort of savior. The Republican base is now energized and Obama will lose in November.

— Michael Page, Seattle, Washington

Your article on the 6 things that the McCain pick says is completely and obviously misrepresented. McCain is not desperate. He chose a reformer like himself. You also failed to mention how Palin took on the corrupt GOP establishment of her own state. You are so obviously a liberal democrat and only wrote about her in a one sided way typical of the liberal media. I am so sick of you guys. For the first time in my life, I have the opportunity to vote for a woman republican and I am excited. To dismiss her as a desperate choice by McCain is insulting to women everywhere. With this pick, John McCain assured a win in November. I laugh everytime you media idiots say Obama is going to win by a landslide. But you are right, it is not a close as the polls say. John McCain is the one who will win by a landslide. I am not a racist, in fact my husband is a minority and my children are bi-racial. It insults me everytime you media commentaries say that white people won't vote for a black man. Maybe a very small portion, but those are probably the same voters who also won't vote for a woman either.

— Jennifer Tuazon, St. Petersburg, Florida

Your address says it all. You could not be more wrong on your article about McCain's pick for VP. I am so thrilled with his decision I can hardly stand it. She is far more experienced than Obama that it is laughable. McCain is hardly desperate but I can see that in your liberal surroundings you may think that to be so. I have die hard democrat relatives so furious with the Obama and Biden ticket that they are voting Republican for the first time in their lives. I hear nothing but grumbling about this liberal ticket. This has nothing to do with race and everything to do with the empty message of change. The only change I see is the movement of my money into the hands of those too inept to handle it and too stupid to make it on their own. When I finish this email, I am writing a check to McCain's campaign. Your article fired me up and so did his selection. At least she knows how many states we have. Obama thinks we have 58 and they are making fun of McCain for the house comment. Now that is funny.

— Renee Cox, Irving, Texas

Palin on experience — Of the four, she is the only one to have run anything. She is the only one where something that has been accomplished can actually be tracked back to her actions. Small town? Hey check Harry Reeds home town, and bunch of trailers, and he is leader of our Senate. Mrs. Palin is bringing something to the table that no one else has the guts to do, clean house! Guess what, not to be sexist, but that's just what women are capable of doing. Discarding what is no longer of use around the house (DC). I believe the American people are excited about this potential resident of Washington DC, and they will back her efforts to the hilt.

— Brian Dani, Laguna Niguel, California

I think Palin is a terrific pick. I will certainly cast my vote for McCain now. My husband, who voted for Obama in the primaries, will now vote for McCain. Obama did not stay true to his message about change, in fact, he picked a complete Washington insider for his VP. McCain used greater imagination, and plucked someone from as far away from Washington as one can get. I applaud Senator McCain. I do believe the race is as close as things suggests. People do things different in the privacy of a voting booth, than they claim to outside. It is a sad statement, but racism is still very much alive.

— Maureen L. Burke, Sacramento, California

just wanted you to know that I think you are wrong about Mc Cain's pick. How refreshing to see ONE honest person in Government, one that seems to care about the people and NOT just trying to get rich herself! I didn't give a damn about either men, Obama already is a crook in my book, but now I shall vote because of her and I hope that SHE'll win!

(new e-mail)

I'm a little worried about your phrase; publishing parts or writing down your thoughts!!!! The most important thing to me is, she is an outsider and seems to be honest and seems to work for the PEOPLE! Now this is something to vote for!! I would not have voted for Hillary, she is a huge liar and we have too many like her already!

— Susanne Lauper, California

My brother-in-law a retired Marine pilot, 2 Vietnam tours with an adopted Vietnamese daugter said it all. He wished Palin would debate BO. Inexperince vs inexperience. She would clean his clock. A Biden debate would be over when she would tell Joe, YOU CAN'T BE CATHOLIC & PRO ABORTION. I lived in WI. I knew Lombardi.

I could introduce to George Dickson Lombari's backfield coach with the Redskins. I heard 1 of your people state that the majority of people are pro-choice. That's untrue however the drive by media will not challenge you fellows. John McCain knows how to pick'em. Sarah IS PROI-LIFE. Her DECISION to keep TRIG about the time she met McCain in Feb. proves her decision making capability.

I have 3 daugters 2 older than you and Sarah. They would put their money on Sarah in a head to head with BO. BO V SP BARACK OBOMA vs Sarah Palin.

— John Bettinger, Ohio

Somebody needs to tell McCain that having a uterus and boobs does not = Hillary!!!

— Connie Andrews, Chesapeake, Virginia

how can you even compare senatorial duty to governance ... stop drawing conclusions and providing faulty analysis to fit your underlying aggenda ... stick to reporting and not retorting ... Obama's a snake oil salesman and Biden's a angry white guy. ... Palin has more class, courage and principles in her little finger then thay have in their whole body ... Aloha from Hawaii

— Kevin McClintock, Hawaii

I see you guys are part of the Obama express, just like the drive by media.

— Carl A. Fontana, Pennsylvania

6 things you should know about your article:
1) It had little to do with fact.
2) This didn't pass the smell test as news.
3) It was far less objective and could have been written by Bob Beckel.
4) This article might appeal to Democrats.
5) I got a sense of wasting my time after I read this.
6) This is an opinion. Everyone has one and I don't subscribe to yours.

— Ron Stirling, Connecticut

Wow What world do you live in? Sarah has more experience than either obama/biden(the bridge to nowhere) have combined.. She has at executive experience.What has obama done period Biden just sticks his foot in his mouth she be fun to see Sarah rip him apart

— Jim Eglinas, Cary, Illinois

McCain is not desperate, buddy. He is smart and he is not concerned about picking a women to be his VP, unlike the supposedly pro-woman left. Obama should have picked Hillary Clinton and screwed up by picking the terrible Joe "Plugs the Plagiarist" Biden. Obama has less experience than either McCain or Palin and only Democratic bigots like you and the other card-carrying socialists are criticizing his pick. Next time you call yourself a journalist, take a look in the mirror and ask yourself if you are a liar. You and most of the media, particularly at Politico, are basically in the tank for the liberals/Democrats.

— James Dean, Pennsylvania

Whoa, Your slant on McCain's pick is just, well precious! I think these are the things you are HOPING McCain's pick means. But as the liberals find out each election season, people don't like being misled and lied to, and they're not stupid. Keep up this kind of tripe, and good luck on Nov. 4!!!! Your candidate, Mr. Holiness Obama, will get trounced, and I can't wait to see your humble acknowledgement of having "hyped" all your stories, once again!

— Marci Johnson, Gilbert, Arizona

I have my doubts about Palin, Jim, but your puff ho piece was so blatantly partisan pro-Obama that it is ridiculous. Methinks you had better go back to Journalism School and learn about objectivity.

If anyone is concerned about losing, and losing big, it is the fraud known as Barry Hussein Obama, who also needed to pick 'safe'. But of course you wouldn't say that in a million years.

— Alan Rockman, Phoenix, Arizona

My God are you that out of touch?? Obama wont win 10 states. It'll be somewhat close in total numbers, but a near landslide in the electoral college. Sorry guys, not this time and not with this guy.

— Michael Paro, Algonquin, Illinois

How long, dear god, are you guys going to keep the McCain maverick myth alive? He has repudiated nearly every issue which created the myth: torture, taxes, the influence of the religious right, openness to the press (no more open door, folks; sorry), campaign finance reform. In short, on every issue that matters he has become merely another, tired voice of failed Republican policy. Why not call a spade a spade?

You are such a left wing radical that you make me sick. How dare you try to take down a veteran who almost gave his life for this country. And the last time that I looked, the president is the commander in chief, not the vice president, so the argument over inexperience should be directed solely on the President, you jerk.